LTBA NEWS

Category: Hurricane Maria

Plan is to set up base at Hipodromo Camarero.

Various equine industry groups are working together with the Humane Society of the United States to form a plan to provide aid to horses in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria hit the island Sept. 20.

Marty Irby, senior advisor of equine protection and rural affairs for HSUS, said Sept. 26 that the current plan is to make Hipodromo Camarero the base for receiving aid. Groups involved include the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Equine Practitioners, The Jockey Club, and the United States Equestrian Federation. Irby said the groups will reconvene Sept. 28 to discuss further plans.

“We all sort of have a list of tasks that we’re working on to help basically move feed, hay, and supplies into the region and specifically sort of make—and this is subject to the proper approvals—the track in San Juan (Camarero) a home base, to first help there and afterward others (around the island) who may need supplies and things,” Irby said.

“The AAEP said that they have access to a large amount of supplies … HSUS has about 1,100 bales of hay that’s ready to go anytime,” he added. “We’re just waiting to hear back from the guys who are handling the flight arrangements because there’s an issue of proper chain of command and paperwork and there’s also an issue of debris and whether they can land the plane. We’re trying to work through those things, but everyone on every end is willing to move forward, it’s just working through the logistics.

“It is really great to see everybody from all of these organizations chip in and go head first and try to do everything they can to help.”